The WMA International Code of Medical Ethics
- International document
The WMA International Code of Medical Ethics (1949, revised in 2022) sets out in 40 paragraphs the doctor's duties to patients, colleagues and society.
What it is
The International Code of Medical Ethics is the general code of the World Medical Association (WMA). It was adopted in London in 1949, together with the Declaration of Geneva, and revised in Sydney (1968), Venice (1983), Pilanesberg (2006) and Berlin (2022). The 2022 version has 40 paragraphs grouped into general principles, duties to the patient, duties to other physicians and health professionals, duties to society, and duties as a member of the medical profession. It added new subjects: remote care, environmental sustainability, care for the doctor's own health, harassment in teams and the use of social media. The Declaration of Geneva is the pledge; the Code turns it into concrete duties.
Key points
- Paragraph 2: care according to health need, without discrimination by age, disease, disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, culture, sexual orientation or social standing.
- Paragraph 5: the physician recognises and avoids conflicts of interest; if unavoidable, they are declared in advance and managed.
- Paragraph 10: never take part in torture or in cruel, inhuman or degrading practices.
- Paragraphs 15 to 18: informed consent, decisions with limited capacity, emergencies with no representative, and new consent when the patient regains capacity.
- Paragraph 26: remote care must be medically justifiable, with consent and confidentiality; where appropriate, direct contact is preferred.
- Paragraph 27: never a sexual relationship with a current patient; paragraph 28: the physician attends to their own health so as to practise safely.
- Paragraph 12: practise in environmentally sustainable ways; paragraph 35: be prudent and accurate when discussing science in public, including social media.
Historical context
- 1949: the WMA, newly founded after the Second World War, adopts the Code to unite the profession around common principles.
- The 1968, 1983 and 2006 revisions updated it; the 2022 revision rewrote it after an open consultation lasting several years.
- The Code is read as a whole: each paragraph is applied with consideration of the others.
- National norms must not reduce the physician's commitment to the Code's principles (preamble).
Today
- An insurer's doctor examining an applicant must explain at the outset whom they work for and what will be done with the result (paragraph 23).
- A sick-leave certificate may state only what the doctor examined; certifying what the patient asks for without checking breaches paragraph 8.
- Video consultations: the patient is told their limits, consent is obtained and an in-person visit is arranged when the case requires it (paragraph 26).
- A doctor working while severely exhausted puts patients at risk: caring for one's own health is a duty, not a luxury (paragraph 28).
Revisions and official text
- Text in force: the Berlin revision, October 2022 (73rd WMA General Assembly); checked on 2026-11-13 at wma.net.
- Earlier versions archived by the WMA: 1949, 1968, 1983 and 2006.
- Colombia: Law 23 of 1981, art. 54, asks doctors to follow the WMA's recommendations on research, transplants and other subjects; breaches are judged under Law 23 by the medical ethics tribunals. Text checked on 2026-11-13 at funcionpublica.gov.co.
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
In what year was the International Code of Medical Ethics adopted, and when was its latest revision?
It was adopted in London in 1949; the latest revision was in Berlin, in October 2022.
What does the WMA Code say about medical certificates?
That the physician must certify only what they have personally verified (paragraph 8).
What must a physician acting on behalf of a third party, such as an insurer, do?
Inform the patient at the outset, explain the nature and extent of that commitment and obtain the patient's consent for the interaction (paragraph 23).
Under what conditions does the Code accept conscientious objection?
Only if the patient is not harmed or discriminated against and their health is not endangered; the physician tells them at once and gives what is needed to consult another physician.
Connections
Educational content on ethics and health law; not legal advice. Laws and case law change: each page links the official text and says when it was last checked. For a real case, read the text in force and ask a lawyer or the medical ethics tribunal.
Sources: WMA International Code of Medical Ethics (World Medical Association, 2022); WMA Declaration of Geneva (World Medical Association, 2017); Ley 23 de 1981, por la cual se dictan normas en materia de ética médica (Función Pública, Gestor Normativo, 1981).
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